Bitter Trust
by GaHoolianGirl100
Summary: Katara has a hard time letting go of her bitterness towards her mother's killer and Zuko, And Zuko's dead set on changing that. NOT Zutara. Small mentions of Kataang.


**This is NOT Zutara. No offense to any shippers who come across this, but I don't ship it in any way, shape, or form. This fic is Katara learning not hate him. This takes place sometime during season three. I'll say right after "The Southern Raiders"**

The sun was setting in the distance, lighting up the sky in different shades of red, orange, pink and yellow.

_The colors of fire_, Katara thought bitterly. She pulled her knees up to her chin, burying her face in them. The day's events had been...stressful, to say the least. Meeting the man who Murdered her mother, the man who had caused all her grief, the man that had prompted her father to leave them. She had seen him. Faced him. Threatened to kill him.

Didn't kill him.

That decision, though only made a few hours before, haunts her. Is that what she was supposed to do? Was she supposed to kill him, or spare him and let him go about his miserable existence? The two thoughts pushed on her from opposite sides, crushing her. Was she supposed to follow Zuko's route, one of hatred and revenge, or Aang's, that of forgiveness and contemplation?

As if her thoughts beckoned him, she heard footsteps behind her. They weren't the heavy trod of Toph, the familiar plod of Sokka's, nor the light tap of Suki or Aang. That left one person.

Zuko.

"What do you want?" she almost hissed, not moving to acknowledge him. Even though the day's adventure had brought them closer to a mutual understanding, she still felt her bitterness and anger envelope her heart, blocking him from gaining any real trust.

"Just...to talk."

"Go ahead. Just don't think I'll listen."

"I didn't think you would."

This confused her, and she almost turned to give him a look, but she kept her steely attitude. She heard him sit behind her. She gave in and turned her eyes, and saw his back facing her. She quickly looked back as he began.

"Look, I know that you still pretty much hate me..."

_Well, why wouldn't I? Your father was the reason I lost my mother, and you were the reason I almost lost my new family!_

"...And you have every right too."

She blinked.

"Just being...just coming from where I do brings up memories of something painful. Not to mention I tried killing you, your brother, and your...boyfriend-best friend...uh, person..."

She blushed at his description of Aang.

"...More times than I can count. But, I really...I really am different, now."

_That's what you said in Ba Sing Se. Right before you back stabbed me and your sister almost killed Aang._

"And I know I said that back in Ba Sing Se, right before I betrayed you, but this...this is different. Then, I was just fighting to discover my true destiny. The path I am supposed to take. The one that'll helped me regain my..."

She knew what was coming next. After having known him for almost a year, he had someone mentioned it in almost all or their interactions. The thing he was chasing. They seemingly impossible goal that sent him after them in the first place. His...

"...heart."

She blinked several times, in rapid succession. His...heart? That wasn't it. It started with h, but that wasn't it.

"I know, you were probably expecting honor. But I realized...my honor wasn't something I lost. It was something I had to discover, within myself. It was my heart, the love I thought I was incapable of receiving or giving, that I had lost."

She turned to him fully. She watched his back. His shoulders heaved up and down with each breath, in a ragged up-and down movement, as if his breath was short, or hindered. And surely enough, when he spoke again, she could hear years worth or repressed sobs seeping into each word he spoke.

"I lost my mother, at a very young age. We were close, closer than her and Azula or Azula and me. And my father always preferred Azula. She was ruthless, powerful, and eager for violence. I was...had too many emotions tying me down. After years of trying to please him, he still scarred my face, and banished me without a second thought. I then held all my hatred and anger and sadness in, and took it out on you and your friends. And...and I'm sorry."

He actually sounded...apologetic. Despite what her head told him, her heart reached out for him, and she placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. He sat upright in reaction of her touch, but didn't turn around.

"Maybe...that's why I hated you so much. Why I hated Aang so much. You all had so much hardship...but could still find it in yourself to love. And be loved. I had the love of my Uncle the whole time, and I just ignored it."

He turned to her, and in the dim light, she saw the tears falling down his face. They sat in silence for a moment, just looking in each other's eyes, searching for sometime, even though neither of them knew what it was. Then, suddenly, it dawned on her.

Forgiveness.

"Zuko..." she began, and she could her herself choking up.

"You know how I lost my mom. After that, all I had left was Sokka, Dad, and Gran Gran. But then," tears started flowing down her cheek, silently but thickly "Dad left to fight in the war, and I felt...abandoned. I sometimes felt like I shouldn't feel or give love. That it only left heartbreak and betrayal. But then I met Aang. And this whole thing started, and I realized that I shouldn't give up love and hope. That I have a chance to give it back to all those people who had given it up. You never lose your heart, you just forget you have it. That's why I hated you. Because you couldn't see what was right in front of you. What was right behind this scar."

She ran a light finger across the edge of his scar, then wiped away a tear, in a very mother-like gesture. He stared her down for a moment, and she felt like his amber eyes were boring into her soul.

"I see why the Avatar likes you so much. You make everyone feel so...hopeful. And loved."

She blushed and looked away, wiping her own tears.

"I...I don't think I'm ready to trust you just yet."

He looked hurt, but resigned. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"...But I'm ready to try."

He smiled so slightly, that I was almost impossible to see. But she felt it. His change. He wasn't the same Zuko that attacked her village almost a year ago. This was a changed man. A hopeful, and loving man.

(-)

When they walked back to camp, the fire was blazing, and everyone was sitting around it. Suki was leaning on Sokka, Toph was sitting with her feet jutting out towards the fire, And Aang sat lotus position, alone. Katara took a seat to his right, and Zuko his left. Aang glanced at his friends. Katara's usual look of resentment when she was around Zuko was gone, And Zuko looked less...broody. Aang smiled.

"You two look happy."

Zuko coughed and looked away. Katara blushed. Aang smiled. The group had an aura of peacefulness about them. One of hope. One of love.

Katara smiled as she felt her bitterness seep out of her. She knew that with a little trust, hope, and love, any wound could be healed. Even scars.

**The ending is crap. But otherwise, I am completely happy with this. I think, that out of any of my oneshots, this is the most well written. I just realized that is my first non-ship fanfiction. Yay for me.**


End file.
